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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III

Portability
89
Imaging
39
Features
39
Overall
39
Olympus SZ-30MR front
 
Ricoh GR Digital III front
Portability
92
Imaging
34
Features
35
Overall
34

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Key Specs

Olympus SZ-30MR
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Released March 2011
Ricoh GR Digital III
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 28mm (F1.9) lens
  • 208g - 109 x 59 x 26mm
  • Announced July 2009
  • Replacement is Ricoh GR Digital IV
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Overview

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus SZ-30MR and Ricoh GR Digital III, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Ricoh. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and GR Digital III (10MP) and the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and GR Digital III (1/1.7") feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-30MR was manufactured 20 months after the GR Digital III making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the SZ-30MR grades against the GR Digital III in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-30MR over the Ricoh GR Digital III

 SZ-30MR GR Digital III 
AnnouncedMarch 2011July 2009More modern by 20 months

Reasons to pick Ricoh GR Digital III over the Olympus SZ-30MR

 GR Digital III SZ-30MR 
Manually focus Dial exact focusing
Display resolution920k460kClearer display (+460k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SZ-30MR and Ricoh GR Digital III

 SZ-30MR GR Digital III 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display dimension3"3"Identical display measurements
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch display Absent Touch display

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Physical Comparison

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-30MR provides physical dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Ricoh GR Digital III has sizing of 109mm x 59mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

See the Olympus SZ-30MR and Ricoh GR Digital III in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the SZ-30MR versus the GR Digital III.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-30MR and GR Digital III is 89 and 92 respectively.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it is tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes purely by looking at technical specs. The image underneath might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-30MR and GR Digital III.

As you have seen, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The SZ-30MR featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Olympus SZ-30MR will give greater detail due to its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will help you crop pics much more aggressively. The more modern SZ-30MR will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Portrait photography factors
Ricoh GR Digital III Portrait photography factors
34
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
provides face detect focusing
lack of manual focus
manual mode not possible
can't use external flash
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
40
has manual focus
saves RAW files
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus SZ-30MR
Street photography with Ricoh GR Digital III
60
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competitors in class (226g)
no articulating screen
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
55
saves RAW files
no moving screen
lack of image stabilization
tiny sensor (1/1.7")
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Sports photography factors
Ricoh GR Digital III Sports photography factors
41
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
provides tracking focus
max fps very slow (2.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority
small sensor (1/2.3")
bad battery pack (220 shots)
doesn't have phase detect AF
17
fixed focal length (28mm)
lack of image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/1.7")
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR Travel photography info
Ricoh GR Digital III Travel photography info
65
lighter than competitors in class (226g)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
pretty wide (25mm)
great reach (600mm)
no Time Lapse recording
bad battery pack (220 per charge)
screen is not selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
63
built-in flash
great maximum aperture (f1.9)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus SZ-30MR
Landscape photography with Ricoh GR Digital III
41
pretty wide (25mm)
decent sized screen (3")
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count decent (16MP)
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
manual mode not possible
small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
bad battery pack (220 per charge)
no Time Lapse recording
45
has manual focus
great maximum aperture (f1.9)
screen size is good (3 inch)
saves RAW files
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
fixed focal length (28mm)
lack of image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/1.7")
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-30MR as a Vlogging camera
Ricoh GR Digital III as a Vlogging camera
34
pretty wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detect focusing
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competitors in class (226 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
screen is not selfie friendly
no mic support
25
great maximum aperture (f1.9)
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
lack of image stabilization
low res video (640 x 480 pxls)
lack of microphone support
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Olympus SZ-30MR vs Ricoh GR Digital III Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-30MR and Ricoh GR Digital III
 Olympus SZ-30MRRicoh GR Digital III
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Ricoh
Model Olympus SZ-30MR Ricoh GR Digital III
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Small Sensor Compact
Released 2011-03-02 2009-07-27
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic III+ GR engine III
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/1.7"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 10MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3 and 3:2
Full resolution 4608 x 3456 3648 x 2736
Max native ISO 3200 1600
Lowest native ISO 80 64
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Cross focus points - -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) 28mm (1x)
Max aperture f/3.0-6.9 f/1.9
Macro focus range 1cm 1cm
Focal length multiplier 5.8 4.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" 3"
Display resolution 460 thousand dots 920 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display tech TFT Hypercrystal III Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (optional)
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4 secs 1 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/1700 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 2.0fps -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 4.00 m 3.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Manual
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps)1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 640x480
Video format MPEG-4 -
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226g (0.50 pounds) 208g (0.46 pounds)
Dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 109 x 59 x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 220 pictures -
Style of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model LI-50B -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC, Internal
Card slots One One
Retail price $279 $399